


beyond my reach (reaching back for me)

by terrestrialmythos



Category: Original Work
Genre: Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Bonding, Coffee Shops, Gen, How Do I Tag, Superheroes, complaining about your boss to your boss' rival's apprentice, i don't even know yall
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-16
Updated: 2019-07-16
Packaged: 2020-06-29 11:56:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19829701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/terrestrialmythos/pseuds/terrestrialmythos
Summary: Baby boomers can be exasperating at the best of times -- superpowers just make them ten times worse.orTwo supers-in-training bond over their bosses constantly bickering.





	beyond my reach (reaching back for me)

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This is my first real work of fiction ever, so if anyone deigns to read this, please have mercy! Title comes from the lyrics to "Holding Out For a Hero" ;) Enjoy!

They’re fighting. Again. It’s really more of a squabble than a fight, at this point, since they do this practically every day. Ev groans in exasperation. Fighting villains and stopping plots is important, of course, but surely even the most genius of villains isn’t going to have a new masterful crime planned every single day, right? It isn’t as if Ev is helping, either. They’re more of a glorified secretary at this point, rather than the helpful sidekick they expected to be. Did they really spend that much time on their superhero name and costume just to stand on the sidelines as their mentor and his arch-enemy bickered and snarled like stray cats? Does their boss know how many times they watched The Incredibles movies for this?!

  
Even the villain sidekick across the street looks bored and annoyed. Granted, that could be from more than just the continual fighting, since they always look some level of dead inside, but the bags under their eyes are deeper than usual, and they’re leaning against the brick wall of the nearest building like they can no longer support their own weight. At this point, Ev is considering just going over and asking them straightforwardly. There isn’t anything else to do – all the civilians have salvaged what they could from their homes before evacuating, and neither of their respective bosses had ever let them interfere with the main fight. In the beginning, they had spent this time fighting each other, but that started to seem pretty pointless by the 50th fight or so.  
Ev shrugs. They walk across the abandoned street.

  
“Hey. Do you want to find a Starbucks with me? You look tired, and this isn’t ending anytime soon.”

  
The villain’s assistant looks up and gives a tired smile.

  
“Hell yeah I do.”

The shop they find is a good way away from the current battlegrounds. It had, ironically, just finished reconstruction from a previous battle between the two superpowers. As they both settle in, the other patrons gave them wary glances, but after seeing they didn’t seem to plan on causing any further damage, leave them in peace.  
After they sit down and order their drinks – tea for Ev and coffee for the other sidekick, both obscenely caffeinated – an awkward silence starts to set in. Ev shifts in their seat. Should they ask for the villain sidekick’s name? Would that be improper etiquette, considering they’re both supers? Oh, never mind, there’s no harm in just asking, right?

  
“Sooo… what should I call you?”

  
The other started and looked over. “What?”

  
“What should I call you? I mean, you don’t have to tell me, but otherwise I don’t have any name or anything for you except ‘My Mentor’s Villain Arch-nemesis’ Assistant/Sidekick’, and that’s confusing.”

  
They blinked slowly. Then, “Sacha.”

  
Ev smiled, albeit a little tiredly. “Thanks.”

  
While that exchange solved that particular issue, it did not help the silence overmuch. It lingered through the waitstaff bringing them their drinks, until Ev decided to open their mouth again.

  
“So how did you get into…” They waved their hand at nothing, “this whole thing?”

  
Sacha sighed, and sat up a little straighter. “Well…”

* * *

They talk.

  
Sacha turns out to be a biochemistry major, struggling to complete their degree despite a lack of credits and funds. When their professor approached them with an offer that would give them a little of both, plus some hope of having a decent life in the future, how can they say no? Even if that same professor ends up being a supervillain, what was Sacha supposed to do?

  
In return, Ev explains how they had wanted to go into heroics for a while. They didn’t remember what triggered the desire; maybe they saw someone’s meagre belongings spread out over a cold stone bench, or perhaps a newscast of bombs destroying forests and homes, or even a picture of a dirty, defiant teenager, protecting themselves because nobody else would. Maybe it was all of the above. Whatever the cause, heroics itself was…an educational experience. Maybe they just weren’t far enough up the chain of command, but not a whole lot seemed to get done. Maybe, if they just worked a little harder, they could do something of importance…

  
Sacha’s fluffy hair swayed along with their shaking head as the two discussed how the upper echelons of supers were handling the recent crackdown on extraterrestrial immigration. Ev’s hands waved in frustration as they ranted about the never-ending fighting between heroes and villains, and how they were starting to think their leaders weren’t even trying to find a solution before attempting to smash each other to bits. They both slumped, tired heads in drooping hands, as they traded tips on how to afford rent, groceries, and other necessities on a young super’s increasingly tiny budget, and wondered if either of them would be able to get other jobs in the future, what with the country’s infrastructure struggling under the weight of constant battle and rebuilding but never any new construction.

  
They both smiled as Sacha discussed the three cats they somehow managed to keep in their tiny apartment. Ev’s pictures of their surprisingly massive and humorously named plant collection actually coaxed a soft huff of laughter from Sacha, which grew stronger the longer they talked. The two smiled as they reminisced about shows they had seen as kids, favorite books, and how they apparently both enjoyed this one obscure cartoon that had stopped airing a long, long time ago. A more comfortable silence eventually settled between the two as they sipped their second set of drinks, their first long since finished.

  
“ENTREATY.”

  
“SARDONYX, HOW DARE YOU.”

  
Ev and Sacha froze in their seats.

  
“Heh… hello, sir?” Ev grimaced self-consciously.

  
Sacha sighed. “Sorry, professor.”

  
Their respective authorities frowned down at them, looming disappointedly.

  
“WE’RE LEAVING IMMEDIATELY.” Both bosses startled at the simultaneous assertation, then scowled at each other furiously. They spun on their heels and marched aggressively towards the door, shoving each other along the way like kindergartners having a spat.

  
Scrambling to follow, the pair left behind hurriedly gathered their things, leaving their payment and a tip on the table. Sacha turned to look at Ev as they hurried out of the quiet little café.  
“See you next time?”

  
Ev grinned. “Hell yeah.”


End file.
